Results 3,621-3,640 of 15,298 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to taking measures to combat and prevent cybercrime. There is close cooperation across the whole of Government on this issue, including between An Garda Síochána and the National Cyber Security Centre. I recently had the opportunity to visit the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau and to thank the highly skilled Gardaí first hand for the very...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The unprecedented allocation of over €2.35 billion for 2024 to An Garda Síochána demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring An Garda Síochána has provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel it needs to carry out its vital policing work. On 31 March 2024 there were 3,513 vehicles in the Garda fleet, the highest ever and a 34%...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. The CSO produces these statistics using data recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE system and makes regular releases in relation to various crime statistics. The most recent statistics were released...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) and is accountable for the economy and the efficiency of the Garda Síochána in using its resources. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. The unprecedented allocation of over €2.35 billion for 2024 to An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including managing the deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: European Union (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: My Department continues to put in place the necessary measures to ensure the full transposition, implementation and enforcement of EU law in Ireland, as appropriate. The information requested by the Deputy is presented in the table below. Regulations, Directives or other measures passed at European Union level Act / Statutory Instrument Council...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Prisoners Abroad (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that an application to transfer has been received from the individual cited. Irish Prison Service officials are liaising with the UK authorities to collate the information required under the legislation to progress the application. As the Deputy will appreciate, international transfer applications are unavoidably complex, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: Section 74 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 provides for the establishment of the Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal (LPDT). In November 2020, the President of the High Court appointed the LPDT to deal with complaints of serious misconduct by both solicitors and barristers. Applications made to the LPDT must come through the Law Society of Ireland or the Legal Services...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: One of the key actions of the Third National Strategy is doubling the number of refuge spaces available during the lifetime of the Strategy to 280 refuge spaces. As the Deputy is aware, prior to the establishment of Cuan on 1 January 2024, a Steering Committee for Inter-Departmental Group proposals was set up to manage and oversee progress on the delivery of additional refuge units. This...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), which includes the management of the Garda Estate. Additionally, the Commissioner determines the distribution and stationing of the Garda Síochána throughout the State under Section 33 of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that given the rise in prisoner population, it is not possible to say whether those accommodated in the Progression Unit will remain together. People currently accommodated in the Progression Unit, who are not serving their sentences for sex offences, will be moved to alternative suitable accommodation within the prison estate. I can further advise the Deputy that not...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Peace Commissioners (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: In line with the provisions of section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act 1924, Peace Commissioners are appointed, and may be removed from that appointment, by me in my capacity as Minister for Justice. My Department maintains the Roll of Peace Commissioners and, while every effort is made to keep the Roll up to date, the records do not always reflect the actual situation on the ground....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Freedom of Speech (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill will legislate against hate crimes for the first time in Irish law and bring us into line with our European counterparts. It will also update existing incitement to hatred laws dating from 1989 to ensure compliance with EU law and to better reflect modern methods of communicating. In doing so, it will update and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 524, 525 and 535 together. The Government takes the issue of sexual exploitation of children very seriously and there is comprehensive legislation in place to deal with these offences. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act was enacted in 2017. This wide-ranging piece of legislation significantly enhanced the laws combatting the sexual exploitation and sexual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Local Authorities (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that my Department was not in receipt of any returned or surrendered grant-aid from Local Authorities during the time specified.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Support Services (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government agreed to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further applications from 15 February 2023. As Minister, I do not comment on individual IIP applications, however, my Department’s IIP Unit is committed to ensuring that all applications will be examined on their own merits and will endeavour to conclude all decisions in a timely...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means. This includes the provision of legal aid and advice to international protection applicants. While eligibility for the scheme is assessed on a case by case basis, the high rate of successful applications set out below, as provided to me by the Legal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: We have all been shocked by the recent loss of life on our roads, and concerned by the worrying increase in road fatalities after many years of progress in making our roads safer. Road safety is a shared responsibility and one which this Government takes very seriously. Road traffic legislation is enforced as part of the day-to-day duties of all members of An Garda Síochána, as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all matters relating to the recruitment, training and appointment of its members. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. I have been informed that, to date, in 2024 there has been one regional competition which spans across 3 Garda...